Opinion: Testing times to come but Quins on right track
Harlequins seem to be building momentum after a solid start to the season as they look to retain their Premiership crown, albeit under Tabai Matson’s command.
The London side had a decent opening to the campaign but have started to recapture their top form as a team more recently, with December being a huge month for them both domestically and in the Champions Cup with convincing wins over Cardiff and Castres.
December also saw Quins return to Twickenham for the first time since the Premiership final to play their perennial Big Game fixture against Northampton Saints where they wowed a near-full crowd with electric rugby.
Rose to the challenge
Marcus Smith missed the game with Covid-19 but back-up fly-half, Will Edwards, rose to the challenge and was “excellent” according to head coach Matson.
Smith returned for the London side’s recent narrow victory at Kingsholm over Gloucester and is likely to start this weekend when Harlequins welcome Exeter Chiefs to Twickenham Stoop for a 2020/21 Premiership final rematch.
The resounding positives from their four-game streak mean that the odds add up nicely for Quins, who have been playing a much more aggressive and attacking style of rugby compared to a struggling Chiefs side, who have also won four out of their last five but in a much uglier fashion.
Harlequins’ South Africans, Andre Esterhuizen and Tyrone Green, have been nothing shy of phenomenal as of late, but Edwards’ aforementioned two-try assist performance should not be forgotten.
It could be a sign of hope for Harlequins who will probably have their first-choice fly-half selected for England in their Six Nations squad, which would leave Edwards in the 10 jersey until Smith returns in late March or early April.
However, despite having two starts under his belt, Edwards’ consistency over a longer stretch could be cause for concern for Matson as Harlequins have struggled dramatically to find a competent back-up for Smith ever since he took over from Nick Evans, now Quins’ attack coach.
Edwards stepping up for a longer period is not the only uncertain factor in Quins’ success, with Alex Dombrandt, Joe Marler, Joe Marchant and Louis Lynagh also in the running for a place with England.
Dombrandt, Marchant and Lynagh are all among the top try-scorers in the Premiership and, along with Marler, they were involved in England’s 2021 Autumn Nations Series squad – Lynagh is still waiting for a senior cap, however.
It’s therefore an intriguing couple of months approaching for the Premiership champions as likely absentees to England duty will test them in a way they did not feel in 2020/21. Come through that period intact and with a solid points return in the bank and another onslaught for silverware would be very much on.